Florida Senate - 2009                            (NP)    SR 2796
       
       
       
       By Senator Storms
       
       
       
       
       10-04614-09                                           20092796__
    1                          Senate Resolution                        
    2         A resolution recognizing the Florida Strawberry
    3         Festival for its preservation of community and
    4         celebration of harvest.
    5  
    6         WHEREAS, the Florida Strawberry Festival originated in 1930
    7  to celebrate Plant City’s blessed heritage, including a
    8  bountiful harvest of strawberries, and
    9         WHEREAS, the Florida Strawberry Festival continues to
   10  preserve and enhance the agricultural and historical legacy of
   11  the Florida strawberry, and
   12         WHEREAS, Plant City produces three-fourths of the nation’s
   13  mid-winter strawberries, which are grown on 8,650 acres,
   14  generate an annual revenue of more than $343 million, and
   15  account for 40 percent of Hillsborough County’s total
   16  agriculture sales, and
   17         WHEREAS, the Florida Strawberry Festival has become one of
   18  the best strawberry festivals across the nation and was ranked
   19  35th on the list of “Top 50 North American Fairs” in 2008, and
   20         WHEREAS, the Florida Strawberry Festival is a community
   21  oriented event governed by a devoted board of directors and has
   22  never been subsidized by taxpayers, and
   23         WHEREAS, every year the Florida Strawberry Festival holds a
   24  pageant and selects a festival queen and court, and
   25         WHEREAS, throughout the years the Florida Strawberry
   26  Association has awarded 299 scholarships, totaling $206,500 for
   27  the educational benefit of young people, NOW, THEREFORE,
   28  
   29  Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:
   30  
   31         That the Senate recognizes the Florida Strawberry Festival
   32  for its preservation of community and celebration of harvest,
   33  commends the thousands of volunteers who give of their time to
   34  guarantee the success of the festival each year, and encourages
   35  all Floridians to visit the Florida Strawberry Festival and join
   36  in this celebration of Plant City’s rich heritage.